Step migration
I have heard that during step migration folks from certain villages settled together . I wondered what groups settled in Hull and Bradford ? Thank you. Christine Herbert
cherber1@roche…
3 replies
CrisH,
You are correct that folk often wrote home and others from their townland or town followed. In the cases of Hull & Bradford though, I’d be surprised if they all came from the same place. With large cities like that and migration taking place for 150 years or more, I would expect the Irish there to have come from a wide spread of places, not just one location.
If you have particular surnames in mind, you can use this link to see where in Ireland the names were common in the mid 1800s:
Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer
Step migration is when migrations happen in a series of smaller steps e.g. moving from Ireland to Britain and later emigrating to another country. I think the term for people from an area settling near each other is cluster migration. Chain migration is when the first settlers encourage others from home to join them. A young man might go first, followed by siblings and perhaps parents, as in the case of Joe Biden's Mayo ancestors.
The best place to begin research is in Yorkshire. Lancashire Family History Society has an Irish branch. Yorkshire FH groups may have members with Irish knowledge. Local history groups may have information about populations of city districts. There may be histories of local Catholic churches. GENUKI website has information about individual churches including foundation year and locations of church registers.
Have you looked through censuses to see what places of birth Irish people in Hull and Bradford put? Earliest marriage register (1830s) of a Catholic church in Lancashire near where I was born has spouse abode from many Irish counties.
Ireland Genealogy Toolkit website has a section on emigration. Migrant routes to Britain and reasons for choosing a destination are discussed.
There may be factors which complicate a place of origin study. People moving around Britain for employment is one. Britain had extensive rail transport from 1840s. Some millowners brought pauper children or workhouse inmates from a city or from outside the county. The Catholic population of a Lancashire small town increased enormously at a stroke in the 1820's when a mill owner brought workers from Manchester; most were Irish, judging by the baptism register.
questor37@gmail.com
Thank you so much...I have the 1861 and 1871 census... but the best information I can read is Bridget (Nelson) Moran came from Leitrim, she has 2 older daughters with the surname King,
then 3 Moran children, listing husband as Hugh Moran. Hugh list his birth "at sea".
I have a DNA match with Nelsons in his family, in Hull, tracing back to Sligo. I cannot find any wedding infofor Bridget and Hugh. Their 3 daughters I find in NYC, all listing Bridget and Hugh as their Irish born parents. .
I really appreciate all the hints you have given me, I will look at them all.
Sincerey,
Cris Herbert
cherber1@roche…